Rail-anchor



H. G. GILLMOR.

RAILANCHOR.

KPPLICAIIQN FILED NOV. 7. 1917.

Patented May 11, 1920..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HORATIO G. GILLMOR, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

RAIL-ANCHOR.

Application filed November 7, 1917.

T 0 all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, HonA'rro G. GILLMOR, a citizen ofthe United States, residing in \Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rail-Anchors, of which the followin is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for preventing the longitudinal movement of the rails of railways commonly known as creeping, which devices are variously referred to as rail anchors, rail stays or anticreepers. The object of the invention is to produce a device of the character indicated which shall be effective in preventing creeping and which shall, at the same time, be simple to construct and apply.

Another object is to produce a device which will be light in weight and which may be applied with the tools usually carried by the track mechanics.

Other objects are to produce a device which will automatically increase its grip upon the rail as the tendency of the rail to creep increases and which shall also be free from liability of loosening and becoming ineffective through the effect of vibration, temperature changes or other accidental causes.

The invention is illustrated in one embodiment in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a view of the device, applied to the rail, which is shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a view showing one of the positions of the parts while the device is being applied to. the rail, which is shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device as applied to the rail with a portion of a tie in cross section.

Fig. lis a plan view of the device upon the rail, looking down upon the rail and cross tie, portions of which are shown.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the transverse element.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawing A represents the rail hav ing a base flange B, which rests upon and is supported by the cross ties, one of which is indicated by C. In the embodiment of the invention shown. in the drawing, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1920.

Serial No. 200,758.

device is in two parts, viz.,'a transverse element D and a vertical element E.

The transverse element Dis formed with a portion F, which with the body of the element D forms a jaw adapted to engage and grip the rail base flange B at one side of the rail and the element D extends transversely underneath the rail with both a downward inclination from the railand a twisted or warped upper surface as shown at G in Figs. 2 and 5. At the end of the element D opposite to the portion F there are two portions H and I, which have surfaces K and L arranged to engage the edge of the base flange B of the rail A. The surfaces K and L may be inclined or beveled so that a wedging action will be exerted by the transverse element when it is drawn up into contact with the rail base as later described. On the under side of the element D adjacent and between the portions H and I there is a seat or groove one portion M, of which will, when the element D is in its final position be approximately parallel to the bottom of the base flange 'B and another portion N, of which will, in the final position of the element D be parallel to the inclined upper surface of the base flange B. Below and adjacent the rail edge engaging portion I of the element D there is a surface approximately parallel to the rail bottom when the element D is in its final position on the rail, designated by O.

The vertical element E is constructed with two arms P and Q, which are approxi mately parallel, and these arms with'the body of the element E form jaws, between which the rail and the transverse element D may be gripped. The ends of the arms P and Q are tapered or beveled as at B. and S and the surface T of the arm Q is made to correspond to the surfaces M and N of the seat in the element D. Projecting downwardly and forwardly from the vertical element E there is a tie engaging portion U and projecting rearwardly from the element E there is a portion V the upper surface W of which is made to correspond with the surface 0 of the element D; The upper arm P of the element E may have a relatively flat surface Y arranged to be in engagement with the upper surface of the base flange B when the element E is in its final position.

The device is applied to the rail by placing the transverse element in position with the arm F engaging the base flange B and then driving the element D transversely upon the rail until the projection l is in such positionthat the drawing of that end of the element D upwardly toward the rail base B will bring the surface K of the portion H into contact with the edge of the base flange B. Because of the downwardly inclination and the warp in the upper surface of the transverse element D the surface K of the portion H may he out of contact with the edge of the base flange B and the surface L of the portion 1 will be more distant still below the rail base B. T he portion I of the element D will, however, in this position of the element D, be in such position that its surface L'may, by sulficiently drawing up the portion I and the adjacent portion of the body of the element D, be brought into engagement with the edge of the base flange B of the rail A. The vertical element E is then placed in the position illustrated in 2 with the beveled. or tapered surfaces R and S of the arms P and Q engaging the rail base and the surface M of the element D. If the element E be then forced transversely in relation to the rail and the element D the first effect of such transverse movement is to draw the portion H upwardly; and, when the parallel arms 1 and Q, of the element are in engagement with the inclined upper surface of the rail base B, and the surface N of the element D the portion H will have been drawn upwardly until the surface K is engaging the rail edge and the forward edge of the body of the element D will engage the rail bottom. In this position of the elements D andE the surface N of the element D is approximately parallel with the inclined upper surface of the base flange B and further movement of the element E, transverse to the rail, will. cause the arms P and to move over surfaces which are aopronimately parallel upon which tney will press. As the element E is forced tran 'versely in relation to the rail the surface W of the portion V of the element will come into contact with the surface 0 of th element D and, as the transverse movement of the element E is continued the portion 1 and the adjacent end of the element D are drawn upward toward the rail until the surface E of the portion 1 of the element D is brought into engagement with the edge of the rail b e flange B and the warped and downwardiv inclined surface G of the element D has best drawn up into contact with the rail bottom. This action upon the element D will cause said element not only to grip the rail between the portions H and T and the jaw at the opposite end of the element D, but will also cause the transverse body portion of the element D to bear with increased pressure upon the bottom of the rail base flange B. it the same time, the elements D and E by virtue of the engagement of the surface N of element E with the surface 0' of element D coact to move the element E slightly an gularly about an axis transverse to the rail and this action increases greatly the pressure of the arm P downwardly upon the upper surface of the base flange B and the pressure of the arm Q. upwardly upon the element D, thereby greatly increasing the grip of the element E whereby the rail is gripped between the element E and the element D.

The arrow in Figs. 3 and L indicates the direction in which the rail tends normally to creep and this direction has been referred to as forward'and the reverse direction as rearward. When the parts of the device are in the final operative position upon the rail illustrated in Figs. 1, and 4, forward movement of the rail will carry the device with it until the tie engaging portion U of the element E comes into contact with the tie C as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. When this position has been reached the engagement of the portion U of the element E with the tie will transmit to the tie any pressure exerted upon the device by th rail in its tendency to creep and this pressure will be resisted by the ballast in which the tie C is embedded. Ordinarily the grip of the device upon the rail will be sufficient to hold the rail once the tie engaging portion of the element E is in full engagement with the tie C. if however this should not be the case and the rail should tend to move forward through the device, such movement will carry the portion F of the transverse element D forward with the rail and this will cause the portion 1 to bear with increased pressure upon the rail base flange and will automatically increase the grip of the transverse element upon the base flange B. At the same time the pressure of the tie engaging portion U upon the tie C will tend to produce slight angular movement of the element about an axis transverse to the rail and this will increase the pressure of the portion V pen the lower side of the portion T of-the element D thus further increasing the pressure of the element D upon the base flange By this double action of the elements they coact to automatically increase the g 'ip of the device upon the base flange B so that any tendency of he rail to move forwa ?d is self checked.

Should the rail move in the reverse or movement will not aflect the tightness of the parts; for, in that event, the slight angular movement of the element E in a direction the reverse of that produced by forward movement of th rail will be produced and the grip of the device upon the rail thus tightened.

Furthermore the device will not be affected by vibrations such as frequently occur in the tracks of railways and make difficult the effective operation of devices of this character. The arms P and Q of the element E are parallel or approximately so and present considerable surfaces of contact with both the rail and the element D and there are also frictional .forces of large amount acting upon the surface lV of the element E in contact with the surface 0 of the element D. Moreover the construction of the elements and their relation the one to the other gives great elasticity to the device. This and the great frictional forces opposing such movements of the parts in relation to each other are effective in preventing very severe vibrations from affecting the tightness of the parts or the efficiency of the device in preventing creeping movement.

It will be obvious that the invention may be embodied in widely varying forms without departing from the spirit of the invenion.

'What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A transverse element for rail anchors constructed with rail base flange engaging means at one end a retaining catch at the other end and a body portion having a downward inclination and a twist toward the retaining catch end thereo 2. A rail gripping element for anticreepers constructed with a jaw at one end and plurality of base edge engaging portions at the other end and an intermediate body portion, the upper surface of which is downwardly inclined and warped from the jaw end toward the flange edge engaging portions thereof, and a groove seat for engagement with a vertical pressure producing part.

3. A rail embracing and gripping element for rail anchors constructed with rail base flange engaging means at one end a retaining catch at the other end and an intermediate body portion, the upper surface of which is downwardly inclined toward the retaining catch end and a plurality of seats in spaced relation the one to the other on the underside of said element adjacent said retaining catch.

4. A transverse element for rail anchors constructed with rail base flange engaging means at one end, a plurality of base flange edge engaging means at the other end thereof, an intermediate body portion the upper surface of which is inclined and warped toward the flange edge engaging means, a seat adjacent and immediately below one of said flange edge engaging means and a grooved seat intermediate of said flange edge engaging means.

5. A vertical pressure producing element for rail anchors constructed with parallel arms adapted to engage the upper surface of the rail base flange and a transverse element below the rail, said pressure producing element having a portion adapted to engage said transverse element below the rail and at one side of the lower of said arms.

6. An anticreeper for railroad rails, comprising a rail base gripping element having a downward inclination and twist, a jaw at one end and a retaining catch at the other end of said element and a rail engaging device for drawing the downwardly inclined and twisted element into contact with the rail. bottom and said retaining catch into engagement with the rail base edge.

7. I. device for preventing the creeping of rails, comprising a transverse element the upper surface of a portion of which is normally inclined downwardly and warped away from the rail bottom, base flange engaging means at one end and a retaining catch at the other end of said element, a rail engaging element for drawing the downwardly inclined and warped element into contact with the rail bottom and said retaining catch into engagement with the base flange edge, and means for giving the device a fixed position in the roadbed in opposition to the tendency of the rail to creep.

8. An anticreeper for rails, comprising a rail gripping element having rail base flange engaging means at one end a plurality of rail base edge engaging portions at the other end and an intermediate body portion the upper surface of which is downwardly inclined and warped toward the rail base edge engaging portions, a part engaging the rail base above and said element below the rail for drawing said base edge engaging portions in succession into engagement with the rail base edge and said downwardly inclined and warped surface into contact with the rail bottom and means for giving one of said elements a fixed position in the roadbed in opposition to the tendency of the rails to creep.

A device for preventing the creeping of rails, comprising a rail gripping element embracing the rail base flange at one side of the rail and constructed with a catch projection adapted to engage the rail base flange at the other side of the rail, said element being normally inclined and twisted downwardly from the rail bottom, and a rail engaging part constructed to engage said element for drawing said catch projection into contact with the rail base edge and the downwardly inclined and twisted element into contact with the rail bottom.

10. A rail anchor, comprising a rail gripping element unbracing the base flange at one side of the rail and provided with a catch projection adapted to engage the rail base edge at the other side of the rail, said element being normally inclined and warped away from the rail bottom, a rail engaging device engaging said element for drawing the inclined and warped portion into contact. with the rail bottom and said catch projection into engagement with the rail base cdgc, and means for giving one of said elements a fixed position in the roadbed in opposition to the tendency of the rail to creep.

11. An anticreeping device for rails, comprising a rail engaging and gripping element constructed with two seats in spaced relation the one to the other and with a surface normally inclined and warped away from the rail bottom, a rail engaging part constructed to engage said seats in succession "for drawing said warped surface into contact with the rail base, and tie engaging means operative upon one or" said elements.

12. A device for preventing the creeping of rails, comprising a rail gripping member transversely disposed in relation to the rail, provided with a rail base flange gripping portion at one end, a rail base edge engaging portion at the other end thereof, and an intermediate body portion which is normally inclined downwardly and warped away from the rail bottom, a pressure producing part engaging the rail base above and said gripping member below the rail and means for giving the device a fixed position in the roadbed as against the tendency of the rail to creep.

18. An anticreeper, comprising a rail gripping member for transverse disposition beneath the rail and provided with a rail base flange gripping portion at one end and a base edge engaging portion at the other end thereof and a vertical pressure producing part arranged to engage the rail base flange above and said gripping member below the rail, said member and said part cooperating to force said part to move slightly angularly about an axis transverse to the rail when said part is driven transversely of the rail into engagement with. the rail and said member.

14. An anticreeping device, comprising a rail gripping memoer transversely arranged beneath the rail provided with a rail base flange gripping portion at one end and a base edge engaging portion at the other end thereof, a vertical pressure producing part arranged to engage the rail base above and paid gripping member below the rail, said member and said part so cooperating that when said part is forced transversely onto the rail and said member it is moved angularly about an axis transverse to the rail, and means operative upon one'of said ele ments to give it a fixed position in the roadbed in opposition to the tendency of the rail to creep.

15. A rail anchor, comprising a rail embracing and clamping element arranged to engage the base flange of the rail at one side of the rail and to extend transversely beneath the rail, a part constructed to engage the rail above and said element below the ail and to move angularly in relation to the rail about an axis transverse to the rail, and means operative upon the lower end of said part for giving said part a fixed position in the roadbed in opposition to the tendency of the rail to creep.

16. An anticreeper for rails, comprising a bottom engaging part, a vertical pressure producing part constructed so to engage said bottom engaging part below and-the base flange above the rail bottom that movement of said pressure producing part transversely in relation to the rail will produce angular movement of said pressure produc ing part, and means for giving one of said parts a fixed position in the roadb'ed in opposition to the tendency of the rail to creep.

17. An anticreeping device for rails, comprising a rail embracing element constructed to engage the top and bottom of the base flange of the rail at one side of the rail, extend transversely beneath the rail with a downward inclination and twist away from the rail bottom and provided with means tor engaging the edge of the rail base flange at the other side of the rail, a vertical pressure producing part arranged to engage the base flange above and the rail embracing element below the rail, and means for giving said device a fixed position in the roadbed in opposition to the tendency of the rail to creep.

18. A rail anchor, comprising a rail engaging and gripping element constructed to engage the top of the base of the rail at one side, the edge of the base of the rail at the other side and to be normally inclined and warped away from the rail bottom, the rail gripping'part constructed to engage said element below the rail to eflect the gripping action, andmeans for giving the device a fixed'positionin the roadbed in opposition to the tendency of the rail to creep.

19. A rail anchor, comprising a rail engaging and gripping element constructed to engage the top ofthe base flange at one side of the rail and to extend transversely beneath the railwith a downward fleXure and twist away from the rail bottom and provided with a plurality of seats in spaced relation upon the bottom of said element, a part engaging the rail base atthe other side of the rail and arranged to engage said seats in succession when driven transversely upon the rail, and means for engaging a fixed portion of the roadbed in opposition to the tendency of the rail to creep.

20. A rail stay, comprising an element engaging the bottom and opposite sides of the rail base flange, a pressure producing element provided with tie-engaging means and arranged so to engage the face of the base flange and said element below the rail that movement of said part transversely in relation'to the rail will produce pressure of said element upon .the rail and that longitudinal movement of the rail in relation to said part will produce angular movement of said element and thereby automatically increase the gripping action upon the rail.

21. A rail anchor, comprising an element engaging opposite sides of the rail base flange and provided with a transverse portion normally warped to stand out of contact with the rail bottom along one edge thereof and a rail engaging element provided with a tie engaging portion and arranged to engage the rail base flange above and said element below the rail base for drawing the warped portion of said element into contact with the rail bottom.

22. A rail anchor, comprising a rail base engaging element constructed with a jaw at one end, base edge engaging means and a plurality of bearings upon the under side of the other end thereof, a base engaging pres sure producing element constructed with bearing surfaces so coacting with those of said base engaging element that transverse movement of said pressure producing element will effect angular movement of said element and a gripping of the rail by said elements, and means for giving one of said elements a fixed position in the roadbed in opposition to the tendency of the rail to creep.

23. An anticreeper, comprising a transversely disposed element provided with a rail base flange gripping portion, a vertical pressure producing part arranged to engage the rail base flange above and said element below the rail, said element and said part cooperating to force said part to move angularly aoout an axis transverse to the rail when said part is driven into engagement with the rail and said element, and means for giving said anticreeper a fixed position in the roadbed in opposition to the tendency of the rail to creep.

24. A device for of rails, comprising a rail base gripping element extending transversely beneath the rail with a surface normally inclined away from the rail, a vertical pressure producing part so enga ing the rail base and said element that forced movement of said part transverse to the rail will produce angular movement of said part and draw the surface of said element into contact with the rail bottom, and means for engaging a tie in opposition to the tendency of the rail to creep.

H. G. GILLMOR.

preventing the creeping 

